The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing heat exchangers incorporating, for example, a radiator or a condenser or a radiator and condenser.
When manufacturing heat exchangers, tubes are arranged at a predetermined pitch, which is followed by insertion of fins therebetween. After compressing the tubes and fins, headers are mounted to the ends of the tubes. Other members such as pipe are also mounted to the assembly, to which a baking jig is attached. Then, the assembled heat exchanger is put in a furnace for brazing.
End covers are attached to both ends of the header. When mounting to the tubes the header with end covers attached, the following inconvenience may occur.
Upon mounting to the tubes, the center of the header in cross section is held by a clamper, which may cause, for the header of round pipe, for example, clamping displacement in such a way as to rotate about the header pipe. Moreover, when manufacturing heat exchangers incorporating a radiator and a condenser, it is difficult to arrange a radiator header and a condenser header above and below for clamping together.
Moreover, when using the end covers of the radiator header and condenser header integrated with each other, if the end covers are prior attached to the headers through press fitting, the relative position of slits formed in the headers for engaging with an end of tubes goes out of order in the longitudinal direction of the headers due to a press fitting stress. That is, the position of the slits of the radiator header and the position of the slits of the condenser header become misaligned, leading to impossible mounting of the headers to the tubes.